Several students at the Upper Eastside Lofts won’t be able to renew their leases this fall.

Instead, their units are being leased to faculty and staff members. The live/work units were originally intended for entrepreneurs whose units were connected to their storefronts.

Celexsy Adame, University Enterprises Inc. marketing service director, said the students who may have to move have more housing options than were available two years ago.

“It’s also our hope that the student housing lofts will increase its occupancy rates during the next year and we have increased our marketing efforts for the student housing lofts as well,” Adame said.

When the lofts initially opened and none of the units were sold despite a grassroots marketing effort, UEI decided to make the units available to students.

The six units were separated from the storefronts which could be leased out separately as commercial property and house businesses. The live/work units are now going to be marketed for Sacramento State faculty and staff members.

Edward Jones, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and Campus Life, said the units aren’t good for students because they create a disconnect since the units are separate from the main complex. The Upper Eastside Lofts are meant to be university-affiliated housing that have a similar feel to on-campus dorms.

Because of this disconnect, UEI decided to make the units available to only faculty and staff for fall 2009.

The Upper Eastside Lofts, located on Folsom Boulevard and 65th Avenue, were mainly marketed to students as a type of affiliate housing for campus life. UEI is now going through a separate marketing company to help better sell the live/works units for faculty and staff.

Rachel Kovach, sophomore criminal justice major, decided to lease out one of the work lives units. Kovach and her roommate signed a lease just before spring break. About two weeks ago, she went in to pay an installment fee and Kovach was told the lofts weren’t available anymore.

Kovach was offered a unit in student housing at a discounted rate because of the mix up and took it. “I’d rather deal with a couple of glitches in management than move out,” Kovach said.

Map of Future Faculty/Staff Housing

View Upper Eastside Lofts in a larger map

Anne Morrison can be reached at [email protected].